Dental floss holder

ABSTRACT

The invention is a floss holder having an extension for easy holding of the floss within a narrow passage, typically the user&#39;s mouth, where both of the user&#39;s hands may not easily pass. In order to accomplish this the holder handle defines a chamber for holding a spool loaded with floss. This spool then passes through an opening in the handle and adjacent to a face on an extension which the user may place of finger or thumb of the hand holding the handle to hold the floss in place. At the extremity of the handle is a head around which the floss may be wrapped to further secure it in place. The floss continues off of the head to the desired length and can be held in a similar unit or by wrapping around a user&#39;s hand. Since a portion of the extension is preferably thinner than the fingers of the user, it may be more easily placed within the narrow passage to simplify flossing.

PRIORITY

[0001] The present invention is a continuation in part of U.S. Provisional Patent Serial No. 60/308,422 field Jul. 27, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The invention pertains to dental floss holders. More particularly, the invention pertains to floss holders having gripping means for holding floss and dispensing means for dispensing floss.

[0004] 2. Prior Art

[0005] Floss holders having forked members for holding floss are known in the art. Various dispensers are shown in the art defining chambers containing a spool of floss with an opening adjacent to a cutting blade.

GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Floss dispensing products for dental floss are well known in the prior art. These are typically a box with a cutting blade where the dental floss is held on a spindle within the box and there is an opening at the top of the box through which the dental floss feeds. Adjacent to the opening is a cutting blade which can be used by the user to hold excess dental floss and to cut the dental floss so that a portion of the dental floss is exposed from the box.

[0007] Also known in the prior art are forked handles for holding a piece of dental floss between the two allowing the user to get the dental floss between their teeth. This fork holds a piece of floss permanently mounted between the tines of the fork accessible by the user by hand. The amount of floss in these prior art holders is defined by the distance between the forks and they are typically one use products even though a large amount of plastic is used relative to the amount of floss.

[0008] The present invention allows for the user to extend the floss within the user's mouth without having to extend the user's hand within the user's mouth. This helps in making flossing easier, more thorough and elimination of the waste of floss or plastic present in other prior art holders.

[0009] The invention also allows the user to retrieve and easily tie the desired amount of floss to an extension which may then be used to extend the floss within the mouth of the user.

[0010] It is therefore a purpose of the invention to provide a floss holder which allows a user to easily floss their teeth and dispense the floss. It is a further object to provide a floss holder which incorporates a brush so that the floss, brush and holder are a single part.

[0011] These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood hereinafter from a consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, and in which like numerals correspond to parts throughout the several views of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment.

[0014]FIG. 2 shows a close up of the floss tie head.

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a view of the device usable with the finger of a user.

[0016]FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment with a brush at one end and a tie at the other end.

[0017]FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the head shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0018] As can best be seen by reference to FIG. 1, the invention comprises a floss holder having a handle 2, defining a chamber 23 which contains a spindle 3 which holds dental floss 8. The spindle 3 is held between a bottom hub 4 and a top hub 5.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, each hub may have a pivot and in this case a bottom pivot 6 and a top pivot 7, which fits within the bottom of the spindle 3 so that the spindle may turn on the pivots 6 and 7 between the two hubs 4 and 5 which may be attached to the handle 2 to keep the spindle 3 in alignment. FIG. 3 shows a head 14 with three protrusions 16, 17 and 24 for wrapping the floss 8 to hold it in place as shown.

[0020] A coil of floss 8 is wrapped around the spindle 3. The floss 8 is dispensed as the spindle spins between the two hubs 4 and 5.

[0021] There is an opening 9 in the top hub 5 through which the free end of the floss 8 may pass.

[0022] There is also an opening 10 in the top of the handle 2 above the opening 9 in the top hub 5 so that the free end of the floss 8 may pass outside of the floss holder 1. A flat landing 22 is shown where the floss comes out through the opening 10 which reflects the reduction of the width of the device as the user looks from the handle 2 to the extension 11 of the handle.

[0023] Coming up from the handle 2 is a first extension 11 of the handle 2. An overhanging extension 13 extends at an angle of between 0 and 180° from the first extension 11. An angle of between 90 and 45 degrees has been found to be helpful in obtaining the maximum use out of the product.

[0024] There is a thumb or finger support surface 12 on the surface of the first extension 11 where the user may press on an intermediary portion of the floss 8 so that the free end of the floss is held in place.

[0025] There is also a cutting blade 21 which allows the dental floss to be cut when appropriate. While this cutting blade is shown below the finger support surface 12, it may be located opposite the support surface 12 on the first extension 11 or at any other location.

[0026] There is a floss tie head 19 at the end of the overhanging extension 13.

[0027] In order to properly hold the floss, the tie head, as FIG. 2 provides for protrusions 16 and 17 between which are a space 15. While there may be additional protrusions, in FIG. 2 there is a head 14 with a first tie protrusion 16 and a second tie protrusion 17 around which the floss may be wrapped in order to maintain the tight grip required in conjunction with pressure exerted by the user by a finger against the floss holding it to surface 12. With two protrusions 16 and 17 there is a space 15 between the two protrusions to simplify wrapping the dental floss 8. This space 15 may be tight enough to grip the sides of the floss 8 so that it is at least partially secured from further movement. Since a portion of the extensions 11 and 14 is thinner (and possibly longer) than the fingers of the user, it may be more easily placed within the narrow passage to simplify flossing.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment, the floss is held by a combination of wrapping and by the user applying pressure with a first hand against the floss at the finger support surface 12.

[0029] The finger 18 of the user's second hand is shown in FIG. 3. This finger 18 is used to hold one end of the floss while it is placed within the mouth by way of insertion of the head 14 and a portion of the overhanging extension 13 at the other end. Also, two separate floss holders 1 may be used. FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment that could be used for this purpose.

[0030] In FIG. 5, there is a handle 2 which leads directly to the overhanging extension 13 which holds a head 14 having a first tie protrusion 16 and a second tie protrusion 17 around which the floss may be wrapped in order to maintain the tight grip required in conjunction with pressure exerted by the user by a finger against the floss holding it to surface of the handle 2.

[0031] There may be a brush 20, as shown in FIG. 4, on the opposite end of this device from the head so that the handle 2 may serve as both a toothbrush handle and as a dental floss holder and extension.

[0032] While the space 15 is shown with parallel faces, it may also be v-shaped to allow the floss to be progressively held. It may be enclosed, requiring for it's use the threading of the floss through the space 15. The two protrusions 16 and 17 may be made of flexible material so that they flex out when the floss is inserted under pressure from the user and then move back together to more firmly grip the floss. For purposes of understanding the invention, the space is enlarged in FIG. 5, but the size of the face may vary according to the terms of this paragraph.

[0033] Similarly, the knotting of the floss may vary substantially from that shown.

[0034] The handle is shown as an elongate handle being of a diameter of less than one inch so that it defines a diameter approximately the same as a tooth brush. The sides may be squared or cushioned to enhance the gripping ability of the device. The first extension is preferably less than 6 inches and the overhanging extension 13 extends preferably between ¼ inch and three inches.

[0035] The head and protrusions are preferably of soft material and rounded so as to be usable to massage the gums of the user. Instead of a brush, the end of the handle opposite the head may define a mirror or a pick, also preferably of soft material, as shown in FIG. 5 for cleaning the teeth. This pick or mirror 26 may be at an angle to the handle 2 as shown.

[0036] Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment(s) herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

1. I claim a floss holder for holding dental floss comprising: a) a handle having a top and a bottom and a body between the top and bottom, said body further comprising a face; b) at least one first extension having an extremity farthest from the handle and wherein said first extension further comprises at least one securing means attached to the extremity for providing a frictional hold on the dental floss:
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the handle is suitable for gripping by the user's first hand and wherein the at least one first extension is adjacent to the handle so that at least one finger from the first hand may apply pressure to the floss adjacent to the extension while the remainder of the hand holds the handle.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one securing means further comprises ahead attached to the extremity of having a diameter greater than the diameter of the at least one first extension.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the head is divided at one end by defining a notch so that the floss may be wrapped around the head and through the notch.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the notch defines a spacing which is approximately the same as the floss so that the floss may be frictionally held within the notch.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the notch is v shaped so that the floss is held progressively tighter as it is inserted within the notch.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the head is made of flexible material so that the floss may may be held more tightly within the notch as it flexes outward to accept the floss and then returns to it's original shape.
 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein the held having a reduced end extending at an angle from a handle attached to the reduced end and further comprising a tie surface attached to the reduced end opposite the handle.
 9. The floss holder of claim 1 wherein the floss holder handle defines a chamber and wherein the chamber defines a holding means for releasably dispensing floss.
 10. The floss holder of claim 9 wherein handle defines an opening from which the floss may issue from the handle.
 11. The floss holder of claim 10 wherein the handle further comprises a cutting means attached to the handle for cutting the floss.
 12. The floss holder of claim 10 wherein the holding means comprises a spool of floss within the chamber.
 13. The floss holder of claim 12 wherein the chamber further defines at least one holding face for maintaining the location of the spool.
 14. The floss holder of claim 13 wherein the holding face further comprises a spindle for rotationally holding the spool.
 15. The holder of claim 1 further comprising a dental tool on the end opposite the reduced end.
 16. The holder of claim 15 wherein the tool is a brush.
 17. The holder of claim 15 wherein the tool is a mirror.
 18. The holder of claim 15 wherein the tool is a pick.
 19. The invention of claim 15 wherein the tool held at an angle to the handle.
 20. The holder of claim 1 wherein the securing means comprises a rounded surface of soft material for massaging the gums. 